0: Contents: 0. Overview Stocktaking – the situation is better than one may think Technical situation – several options are available Economic situation – everyone should be able to have access, even if shared.

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About half of ~600 populated islands have telecoms - much of those have 2-way radio. (Solar-powered satellite phone can be cheaper (~40 cents/minute) than current systems for long-distance calling or emergency communication in some economies.)

Saddled with legacy “monopolistic” concessions This is a policy which can be maintained or changed. (The eastern Caribbean found that monopolies violate constitutional provisions for freedom of expression, including to receive and disseminate freely).

Not attractive to investors (But many are knowledge societies with 90+% literacy and more than competitive wages, or are excellent markets for distance education – Pacific islands are solutions awaiting good partners). Maybe US$80 million/year could be available for investors, if more competitive prices/services were available.

Cable and satellite are expensive (Telikom PNG just re-deployed 1st-generation cable for US$11 million. Adding Tonga, Samoa or Vanuatu to existing cabling might cost $4 million each. A new broadband satellite, with local participation, could serve Pacific island states as well as bigger markets. Is it time to pursue such goals?)

Do governments have to pay for or subsidize infrastructure or customers?No.

Good experiences to adapt? – how to leverage for the Pacific?

Monopolies – (1) Found to be unconstitutional impingement of freedom of expression in the Caribbean. Laws, contracts were declared void. (2) Competitors DO want to come into small economies, where opportunity exists. (3) A single provider CAN act competitively – but supportive practices, and accountability, need to be in place.

Are people offering you a cable for $50-150 million? How about $3-15 million as happened for PNG?Are they offering landings for $3 million?(How about being a part owner if you must capitalize the system, as was done for WASC in Africa)?

Longer-term: Can the Pacific get a satellite, also generating revenue from Pacific rim economies? Something like this was offered to the Pacific, but “not responded to”. It could be offered again. Satellites are often costed at $300+ million. But they have been built/launched for < $100 million.

Pacific decisionmakers could use a colleague network to make good decisions, and to design, build, operate and support good modern telecoms.

How to benefit from cooperation?: The Pacific has many regional cooperative institutions, among governments & service providers. At Noumea in March (2008), a strategy for moving forward, using the Pacific Plan Digital Strategy, was sketched. Is this what you also think? Are more resources useful? I wish I were with you for the rest of the day, as you discuss this and other issues on moving forward.

17: For the Pacific – is it time to better leverage regional cooperation toward affordable “universal service?”

For several other non-ideally connected economies. Maybe there is a little of the Pacific (‘s problems) in you, and a little of you (‘re problems) in the Pacific? Is there an opportunity to strengthen your own situation through greater cooperation?